Nigeria midfielder Alex Iwobi paid tribute to the side's esprit de corps as the squad went through its final preparations for Wednesday night's semi-final against hosts Morocco at the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 29-year-old, who has featured in Nigeria teams for more than a decade, described the cameraderie as one of the key reasons for their impressive surge through the pool stages and the first two knockout ties.
The Super Eagles - as Nigeria are nicknamed - won all three games in their group and walloped Mozambique 4-0 in the last-16.
On 10 January in Fez, they suffocated an Algeria team that had also moved through the group stages with a 100 per cent record.
"Of course, at previous Cup of Nations we've done well," said Iwobi, who plays his club football at the English Premier League outfit Fulham.
"But for me, I feel like the difference is the sense of brotherhood, the family environment that we've created for each other."
Iwobi's performances have been identified as one of the reasons for the progress. He has set up two goals in his four appearances at the competition in Morocco.
And he has been instrumental in dictating the pace and angles of Nigeria's attacks too.
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"The team have been so strong," he added. "I feel like right now everybody's entering their prime.
"Everyone's doing well for their clubs, and you can see the joy and the chemistry that we have when we're playing for our country.
"It's not just on the pitch, it's also off the pitch. There's a big unity."
Iwobi credited coach Eric Chelle who took over in January 2025 for creating the ethos within the squad.
"He has brought that brotherhood," said Iwobi of the 48-year-old former Mali international.
"And it's nice because it's like one big family and you can see on the pitch that we're fighting for each other.
"So I feel like that's bringing out the best, not just in me, but in all the players."
Morocco reached their first semi-final for 22 years following a 2-0 victory over Cameroon in Rabat.
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They came into the tournament as Africa's top side in the Fifa rankings and on the back of a 19-match winning streak.
Though that sequence ended on 26 December in the 1-1 draw with Mali, they enter the semi-final at the Stade Prince Moulay Abdellah unbeaten in 23 games."
"It's been a long time since Morocco has been in the last four at a Cup of Nations," said Morocco coach Walid Regragui who featured in the squad that played in the semis in Tunisia in 2004.
"So in the first instance, we're happy to be back on that stage. But we'll be up against one of the strongest nations on the continent that has featured regularly in semi-finals over the years. That shows their consistency and strength.
"It's going to be a great match just like the other semi-final."
That game in Tangier on Wednesday afternoon pits the seven-time winners Egypt against Senegal.
"We're four of the best five teams in Africa," Regragui added. "So that will be good for the profile of the continent that there are these kind of games.
"I hope we can all rise to the occasion."
